Trump tightens Iran sanctions as France warns against 'escalation'

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday ordered new sanctions on Iran, this time targeting its industrial metals sector, hours after Tehran said it would no longer fully comply with a landmark nuclear deal already ditched by Washington.

The announcement was made on the anniversary of the Trump administration's unilateral withdrawal from the 2015 agreement between Tehran and world powers, under which the Islamic Republic agreed to curb its nuclear program in exchange for easing some sanctions.

It came just hours after Tehran said it would no longer fully comply with the accord if its remaining signatories - Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia - did not make good on promises to shield its oil and banking sectors from US sanctions.